The roots of the Anglo-Saxon name Vikerstaffe come from when the family resided in or near the village of Bickerstaffe, which was located near Ormskirk in the county of Lancashire. "In 1066 Bickerstaffe, under the name of Achetun, was one of the manors of Uctred, lord of Roby." [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
'Townships: Scarisbrick', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 3, ed. William Farrer and J Brownbill (London, 1907), pp. 265-276. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol3/pp265-276 [accessed 21 January 2017].
One of the first records of the family was Adam de Bickerstath whose son Ralph, held manor in 1212. "Adam de Bickerstath's name frequently appears in charters and other public acts of the time." [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
'Townships: Scarisbrick', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 3, ed. William Farrer and J Brownbill (London, 1907), pp. 265-276. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol3/pp265-276 [accessed 21 January 2017].

Early Origins of the Vikerstaffe family

The surname Vikerstaffe was first found in Lancashire, at Bickerstaffe, a village and civil parish in the West Lancashire district. The village dates back to at least the 12th century when it was listed as Bikerstad and literally meant "landing place of the bee-keepers" from the Old English words bicere + staeth. [2]CITATION[CLOSE]Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4) However, another reference claims the name came from the Old English word "bicker," meaning to skirmish or contend, as in bicker-staff, a weapon analogous to a quarter-staff. [3]CITATION[CLOSE]Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print. This latter interpretation only occurs once through our research library and is mentioned here for reference purposes only as the former interpretation is more likely.

Early History of the Vikerstaffe family

Early History of the Vikerstaffe family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Vikerstaffe research.Another 169 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1639, 1714, 1685, 1713 and are included under the topic Early Vikerstaffe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Vikerstaffe Spelling Variations

Vikerstaffe Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore, spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Vikerstaffe has been recorded under many different variations, including Bickerstaffe, Bickerstaff, Bickerstath, Bickerstathe, Bickersteth and many more.

Early Notables of the Vikerstaffe family (pre 1700)

Early Notables of the Vikerstaffe family (pre 1700)

Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Vikerstaffe Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Vikerstaffe family to Ireland

Migration of the Vikerstaffe family to Ireland

Some of the Vikerstaffe family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.Another 117 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Vikerstaffe family to the New World and Oceana

Migration of the Vikerstaffe family to the New World and Oceana

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Vikerstaffe or a variant listed above: Sarah Bickerstaff who settled in Pennsylvania in 1682.

See Also

See Also

Citations

Citations

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'Townships: Scarisbrick', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 3, ed. William Farrer and J Brownbill (London, 1907), pp. 265-276. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol3/pp265-276 [accessed 21 January 2017].